Anybody use one of these? Scraper Burnisher

[Thom Sturgill]

Lee Valley sells a burnisher for sharpening scrapers that looks interesting.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/images/item/woodworking/turning/05k3501s2.jpg (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=20266&cat=1,330,49233&ap=1)

I was wondering if anyone has used one and what they think of it.

[Frank Van Atta]

They work great. I made my own out of a piece of 2 x 4 and 3 steel rods. As you can see the rods are set at two different angles for either "fine" or "rough" burrs. I've been using this for better than 10 years - it also works great, but is much cheaper . . . :D

http://fgvanatta.tripod.com/Burnisher2Web.jpg

[Reed Gray]

I use a card scraper burnisher on mine. Too cheap to buy the fancy rig. It does set your angle for you, and how hard you push determines how big your burr is. I prefer the triangle burnisher as it takes a bit less pressure than the round ones.

robo hippy

[Jim Underwood]

Frank,

Are those steel rods hardened? Or can you get away with a piece of mild steel?:confused:

I imagine they need to be hard since you need a burr on HSS... yes?

So what did you use for the steel rods?

[Nathan Hawkes]

I'm pretty sure the rods are either solid carbide or hardened steel. I do own one, but I hardly ever use it anymore. I use the burr off the grinder, then remove it with a stone, and use the same stone to raise another one. It's faster than going to the grinder, and the burr is much finer. I think there was an article in AW about scraper burrs a couple months ago. If you're an AAW member you can read it online.

[George Guadiane]

Frank,

Are those steel rods hardened? Or can you get away with a piece of mild steel?:confused:

I imagine they need to be hard since you need a burr on HSS... yes?

So what did you use for the steel rods?

Look in your toolbox for old drill bits (hardened:eek:), they will work to make the hole and hold the bit break/cut off the part you don't need. Since they don't need to be a particular diameter, any should do.

On the odd chance that you don't have any old drill bits, go to a garage sale and buy a bag full for $1.00, then you could make the burnishers and sell them on eBay (or donate the rest of the bits to your turning club after you do the demo on how you made yours).

[Dave Ogren]

Thom,

I went to an Alan Lancer demo. last month. He is really big in honing and raising a burr. He hones with a diamond (which he also sells) then raises a burr with a 3/8" dia. carbide by 2 3/4" long from a tool catalogue (MSC). In his demo. he shows several blow up pictures, 100 times and 200 times of the cutting edges. There is a really big difference. To hone or raise a burr the tool has to be harder than the cutting tool that you are honing or raising the burr on. In a past life I believe that number was 15 points on the Rockwell 'C' scale. Alan's primary teaching is on the use of a skew.

I have never used a skew making a bowl, I can see how it might help on the use of a scraper.

Note: I have no financial interest of Alan of MSC. I just mentally saved that honing and burr raising info. for possible scraper use in the future.

Good Luck and best of turning.

Dave

[Al Wasser]

Stu Batty says to not burnish so there seems to be some controversy on the subject. Take a look at: http://www.negativerakescraper.com/scraping%20tips.htm. It may provide more insight.

[Frank Van Atta]

Frank,

Are those steel rods hardened? Or can you get away with a piece of mild steel?:confused:

I imagine they need to be hard since you need a burr on HSS... yes?

So what did you use for the steel rods?

I used hardened tool steel that I bought at Boeing Surplus, but I originally used screwdriver shanks and they worked just as well.

As far as the commercial jig setting the angle for you, so does this one: 5° for a fine cut and 10° for a rough one - and, yes, it does make a difference and you can definitely tell the difference between the two angles in the way the scraper cuts.

Also, rather than doing anything fancy, I simply flatten the top of the scraper with a small hone before using the burnisher.

[Reed Gray]

There are probably as many 'burrs' for scrapers as there are gouge profiles.

If you hone a burr on, it is very dainty and gone in seconds. Same as the negative rake scraper. It is suitable for light finish cuts only.

Grinder burrs can be very sturdy, but can vary a lot depending on whether you just kiss the bevel, or push the scraper into the grinder wheel. The grit of the wheel, and the type of wheel also makes a big difference. Some can make a very ragged burr that falls apart quickly, and some can make a burr that lasts as long as a burnished burr. I have no trouble roughing out several bowls (8 to 10 inch) with a scraper without having to go back to the grinder. For roughing cuts, the scraper is always flat on the tool rest.

Burnishing can be done with about any 'hard' steel. I have heard of using the metal struts from shock absorbers, screw drivers, and drill bits. You can buy a burnishing tool for a few dollars. How hard you push will make for a lighter or heavier burr. The angle the burnisher hits the steel at is also important. You want it about 90 degrees to the top of the scraper. If it is tipped more towards the top of the scraper, you can actually turn the burr over to the point that it won't cut.

I love the scraper in a shear cutting mode (45 degree angle). This is the only way you can get a finish cut with it in flat grain wood. It even makes a better cut in end grain wood if it is at a shear angle.

robo hippy

[Thom Sturgill]

Good comments, all. I asked this because I came from flatwork with neander leaning and from being trained as a luthier where most work is hand chisels and small planes and scrapers. I have a rack full of bench chisels and you could shave with any of them. As a result, I hone my gouges and you can shave with my skews. I do know how to sharpen a cabinet scraper, and thought this device (or something like it) would work well for turning scrapers.

I have two scrapers (Benjamin's Best) that I use some and I use my cabinet scraper burnisher with the scraper held in a bench vise which is NOT very effective. Its hard to be consistent. I thought a jig like this might help get better results. And I thought I would try to improve the sharpening before I worried about buying better scrapers.

I know scrapers are somewhat controversial in the turning world, our club president does not like them and is vocal in telling others not to use them. When he demonstrated how to use one I found out why - he doesn't know how to use or sharpen one!

[Steve Braman]

I use the side of a screw driver shaft to put a quick burr on my card scrapers. I wonder if it would be just as quick in this application. It does seem that it would be gone in an instant though.

[Greg Taylor]

I have a Lee Valley and like it a lot.

[Jack Tyree]

I have had one of the Lee Valley tools also and couldn't believe the difference it makes. it actually turns "scraper" into a cutting tool. The cost is not that high and I mounted mine right next to the grinder so I don't forget to use it.

[Richard Dooling]

I use an old solid carbide router bit in a handle I turned. I've really been turning for so little time that I don't know much, but turning an edge on a scraper makes it really cut. As the burr gets distorted you can flatten and re-turn it without turning on the grinder.

But this is just me experimenting and having fun.

.